Biography of Harry S. Truman, 33rd U.S. President

Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884–December 26, 1972) became the 33rd president of the United States following the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 12, 1945. Not well known when he took office, Truman gained respect for his role in the development of the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan and for his leadership during the Berlin Airlift and the Korean War. He defended his controversial decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan as a necessity to end World War II. Fast Facts: Harry S. Truman Known For: 33rd president of the United StatesBorn: May 8, 1884 in Lamar, MissouriParents: John Truman, Martha YoungDied: Dec. 26, 1972 in Kansas City, MissouriPublished Works: Year of Decisions, Years of Trial and Hope (memoirs)Spouse: Elizabeth â€Å"Bess† TrumanChildren: Margaret Truman DanielNotable Quote: An honest public servant cant become rich in politics. He can only attain greatness and satisfaction by service. Early Life Truman was born on May 8, 1884, in Lamar, Missouri to John Truman and Martha Young Truman. His middle name, simply the letter S, was a compromise made between his parents, who couldnt agree upon which grandfathers name to use. John Truman worked as a mule trader and later a farmer, frequently moving the family between small Missouri towns before settling in Independence when Truman was 6. It soon became apparent that young Harry needed glasses. Banned from sports and other activities that might break his glasses, he became a voracious reader. Hard Work After graduating from high school in 1901, Truman worked as a timekeeper for the railroad and later as a bank clerk. He had always hoped to go to college, but his family couldnt afford tuition. More disappointment came when Truman learned that he was ineligible for a scholarship to West Point because of his eyesight. When his father needed help on the family farm, Truman quit his job and returned home. He worked on the farm from 1906 to 1917. Long Courtship Moving back home had one benefit: proximity to childhood acquaintance Bess Wallace. Truman had first met Bess at age 6 and had been smitten from the start. Bess came from one of the wealthiest families in Independence and Truman, the son of a farmer, had never dared pursue her. After a chance encounter in Independence, Truman and Bess began a courtship that lasted nine years. She finally accepted Trumans proposal in 1917, but before they could make wedding plans, World War I intervened. Truman enlisted in the Army, entering as a first lieutenant. Shaped by War Truman arrived in France in April 1918. He had a talent for leadership and was soon promoted to captain. Placed in charge of a group of rowdy artillery soldiers, Truman made it clear to them that he wouldnt tolerate misbehavior. That firm, no-nonsense approach would become the trademark style of his presidency. The soldiers came to respect their tough commander, who steered them through the war without the loss of a single man. Truman returned to the U.S. in April 1919 and married Bess in June. Makes a Living Truman and his new wife moved into her mothers large home in Independence. Mrs. Wallace, who never approved of her daughters marriage to a farmer, would live with the couple until her death 33 years later. Never fond of farming himself, Truman was determined to become a businessman. He opened a mens clothing store in nearby Kansas City with an Army buddy. The business was successful at first but failed after only three years. At 38, Truman had succeeded at few endeavors aside from his wartime service. Eager to find something he was good at, he looked to politics. Enters Politics Truman successfully ran for Jackson County judge in 1922 and became well known for his honesty and strong work ethic on this administrative (not judicial) court. During his term, he became a father in 1924 when daughter Mary Margaret was born. He was defeated in his try for re-election but ran again two years later and won. When his last term expired in 1934, Truman was courted by the Missouri Democratic Party to run for the U.S. Senate. He rose to the challenge, campaigning tirelessly across the state. Despite poor public speaking skills, he impressed voters with his folksy style and record as a soldier and judge, soundly defeating the Republican candidate. Sen. Truman Becomes President Truman Working in the Senate was the job Truman had waited for his entire life. He took a leading role in investigating wasteful spending by the War Department, earning the respect of fellow senators and impressing President Roosevelt. He was re-elected in 1940. As the 1944 election drew near, Democratic leaders sought a replacement for Vice President Henry Wallace. Roosevelt himself requested Truman. FDR then won his fourth term with Truman on the ticket. In poor health and suffering from exhaustion, Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945, only three months into his last term, making Truman president of the United States. Thrust into the limelight, Truman faced some of the greatest challenges encountered by any 20th-century president. World War II was drawing to a close in Europe, but the war in the Pacific was far from over. Atomic Bomb Truman learned in July 1945 that scientists working for the U.S. government had tested an atomic bomb in New Mexico. After much deliberation, Truman decided that the only way to end the war in the Pacific would be to drop the bomb on Japan. Truman issued a warning to the Japanese demanding their surrender, but those demands werent met. Two bombs were dropped, the first on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, and the second three days later on Nagasaki. In the face of such utter destruction, the Japanese surrendered. Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan As European countries struggled financially following WWII, Truman recognized their need for economic and military aid. He knew that a weakened country would be more vulnerable to the threat of communism, so he pledged to support nations facing such a threat. Trumans plan was called the Truman Doctrine. Trumans secretary of state, former Gen. George C. Marshall, believed that the struggling nations could survive only if the U.S. supplied the resources needed to return them to self-sufficiency. The Marshall Plan, passed by Congress in 1948, provided the materials needed to rebuild factories, homes, and farms. Berlin Blockade and Re-Election in 1948 In the summer of 1948, the Soviet Union set up a blockade to keep supplies from entering West Berlin, the capital of democratic West Germany but located in Communist East Germany. The blockade of truck, train, and boat traffic was intended to force Berlin into dependence upon the communist regime. Truman stood firm against the Soviets, ordering that supplies be delivered by air. The Berlin Airlift continued for nearly a year, until the Soviets finally abandoned the blockade. In the meantime, despite a poor showing in opinion polls, Truman was re-elected, surprising many by defeating popular Republican Thomas Dewey. Korean Conflict When Communist North Korea invaded South Korea in June 1950, Truman weighed his decision carefully. Korea was a small country, but Truman feared that communists, left unchecked, would invade other countries. Within days, Truman had gained approval for U.N. troops to be ordered to the area. The Korean War began and it lasted until 1953, after Truman left office. The threat had been contained, but North Korea remained under communist control. Back to Independence Truman chose not to run for re-election in 1952, and he and Bess returned to their home in Independence in 1953. Truman enjoyed the return to private life and busied himself with writing his memoirs and planning his presidential library. He died at the age of 88 on Dec. 26, 1972. Legacy When Truman left office in 1953, the lengthy stalemate between North and South Korea had left him one of the most unpopular presidents in history. But that sentiment gradually changed over time as historians began to reassess his terms in office, crediting him with keeping South Korea independent from the communist neighbor to the north. He began to be respected as a folksy straight shooter and the ultimate common man for his leadership in troubled times and his willingness to take responsibility, exemplified by the plaque on his presidential desk that read â€Å"The Buck Stops Here!† Sources Harry S. Truman: President of the United States. Encyclopaedia Britannica.Harry S Truman: 1945-1953. The White House Historical Association.

Teaching Values And Moral Values - 880 Words

Teaching values is important. Values allow children to make ethical decisions, they teach them personal responsibility, and values promote moral integrity. Honesty, respect, responsibility, and love are just a few of the important values children should be taught. These values shape them into well-rounded individuals and help point the way of thinking and acting appropriately. Values define an individual’s behavior, ethical or unethical, and that’s why teaching children values is important. Ethical Decisions Children make sense of the world around them through stories. They use the contents of stories to depict insights to their own lives and moral dimensions. Storytelling in a classroom setting allows students to share personal experiences and gives them a chance to challenge or discuss their own ethical deliberations. (Simon Olds, 1976) explained that â€Å"children need to understand the range of possibilities for action, that there are consequences to actions and how to make choices based upon the awareness of options and consequences.† Allowing children to share based on their own personal experiences emphasizes that what they have to say is meaningful and valuable to the conversation. â€Å"The use of storytelling can offer a dramatic narrative that not only stirs the emotions but also contributes to the cognitive power of these emotions, making particular contributions to moral learning.† (Winston, 1991) As the storytelling process offers complexity to the discussio n ofShow MoreRelatedTeaching Values And Moral Values811 Words   |  4 Pagespaper on teaching values to children. It will also describe why values are important in society. Values need to be taught at home and at school as well; children spend more time at home than they do at school. 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Religion, for example, mayRead MoreMoral Values1269 Words   |  6 PagesMoral Values versus Academic Subject Matters Good morning faculty and Students â€Å"Welcome back to a new and rewarding School year† was the first thing I heard Principle Williams say as he made the announcements. The next thing on the agenda was to go over the rules of the school and classroom. It is the first day of school at Westover Elementary and the students are back in school for one hundred and eighty days. WOW! I just love my job. Well it is time to get down to business. We must goRead MoreErikson s Psychosocial Development Theory Essay1622 Words   |  7 PagesIn this research project several individuals, both parents and children were surveyed and asked various questions to see what their views on morals and values were and if teaching them had an impactful effect on children. 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Harmony Free Essays

Music is composed by four elements, this elements are harmony, rhythm, form and melody. I consider harmony to be the most important and my personal favorite because harmony is what gives the feeling and character to a song. The harmony gives emotions to a song, some of this emotions are sadness, happiness and/ darkness. We will write a custom essay sample on Harmony or any similar topic only for you Order Now Harmony is any combination of tones simultaneously. It is the structure of music with respect to the composition and progression of chords. It is often referred as the â€Å"vertical† side of music with melody being the â€Å"horizontal† side of music. Usually harmonization sounds pleasant to the ear as long as the consonant and the dissonant sounds are balanced. Which means that there is a balance between the â€Å"tense† and the â€Å"relaxed† moments. The word harmony comes from the Greek word harmonia that means â€Å"agreement† and from the verb harmozo that means â€Å"to Joint†. In the past the word harmony was used to refer to the whole field of music while the word â€Å"music† was used to refer to the arts in general. There are different types of harmony. Some of these types are open position, close position, subordinate and oordinate. Even though some types of music can exist without harmony like percussive music that doesn’t utilize harmony, doesn’t mean that all kinds of music can exist without harmony. No, they can’t. One of the genres of music that highlights the use of harmony is Jazz. Any music that utilizes instruments like piano, guitar or voices utilizes harmony. A song that I like and highlights the use of harmony is â€Å"Hotel California† by The Eagles. In this song some of the chords they use mimic the ringing f the â€Å"mission bell† on top of hotel. There is also a Spanish feeling in the song that I think could relate to the Spanish heritage of California. In the beginning of the song there is also a â€Å"shaker† sound that kind of resembles that of the rattlesnake. When you hear this sound you can imagine a desert. All of this and other sounds in the song creates a mood. Also during the chorus you can hear a few other voices in the background that resembles there sound of voices echoing through the hallways of the hotel. How to cite Harmony, Papers